Cleaning device for circular knitting machinery



June 23, 1936. (5. w. ALLRED CLEANING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTINGMACHINERY Filed Aug. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY 1936- G. w.ALLRED 2,0455% CLEANING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINERY FiledAug. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY W W;

ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1936 I nun-Enemies CLEANlNG DEVICE :FoR:CIRCULAR.

I KNITTING, MACHINERY Application August 6, 1935, Serial No. 34,922 v ww i I 1 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a cleaner attachment for knitting machines andmore especially to a suction cleaning device for circular knittingmachines.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter, wherein the same is stationarily mounted upon a knittingmachine and when in position during the activity of such machine asuction is set up in the device for removing lint or fly created by. theaction of the needles on the yarn so that there will not be anaccumulation of the lint or fly and in this fashion the perfect knittingof the fabric or cloth is assured and eliminates any damage to the workor to the machine.

In the operation of a circular knitting machine the speed and action ofthe needles on the yarn or whatever is being run produces a lint or flyand if such is not removed when it is first produced it will settle inthe working parts of the machine, particularly the cylinder and dialwhich the needles operate in and should the lint or fly not be removedit accumulates on the edge of the cylinder and dial so as to becaught-by the needles and knitted into the fabric or cloth withresultant damage to the work and in many cases breaks or bends theneedles or obstructs the action of the needles whereby bad fabric orcloth is produced either having streaks, drop stitches, holes, tightstitches, loose stitches, etc. Another object of the invention is theprovision of a device of this character, wherein the constructionthereof assures the elimination of these difliculties and the productionof cleanand good fabric or cloth as the same depends largely upon thecondition of the needles, cylinder and dial of the knitting machine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter, wherein the same operates automatically in conjunction withthe operation of the knitting machine and instead. of blowing the lintor fly into the machine the said lint or fly is entirely removed forassurance of the perfect working of the knitting machine.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable andefficient in its operation, assuringa better fabric or cloth productionin the operation of the knitting machine, minimizing needle breakage,overhauling and hand cleaning of the machine, strong, durable andinexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention andpointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device construct'ed in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detailed elevation of the suction fan wheel.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device comprises a suction fanhousing Ill in which operates a bladed suction fan wheel I I carried bya stud shaft l2 having coacting therewith antifriction bearings l3fitted within a casting l4 supporting a gear casing l5. The stud shaftI2 carries a pinion l6 meshing with a driving gear l1, these beingwithin the casing l5 which carries a removable cover plate or head l8 sothat access may be had to the interior of said casing.

The gear I! is fixed to a driving shaft I9 journaled in a bearing 20formed with the casting Hi. This shaft l9 also has fixed thereto apinion 2| meshing with the ring gear 22 of a circular knitting machine,a portion thereof being diagrammatically shown in Figures 1 and 3 of thedrawings and indicated at A.

The bearing 20 is formed with an attaching bracket 23 for the mountingof the suction cleaning device upon the head base 24 at the under sideof the knitting machine A.

At the inner side of the housing l0 and centrally thereof is arranged asuction nozzle 25 which is extended to have its free mouth end 26 closeto the head, needles and dial of the knitting machine A so that in theoperation of the latter and the presence of lint or fly therein thesuction fan wheel I I will draw such lint or fly through the nozzle 25into the housing Ill for discharge therefrom through an outlet pipe orconduit 2! leading from the periphery of said housing to any desirablepoint of deposit and in this fashion the knitting machine isautomatically cleaned as the lint or fly is constantly collected andentirely removed from the machine when in action.

The nozzle 25 is directed toward the parts of the knitting machine to becompletely clean, particularly the needles and the slots or guidestherefor in the head of such machine so that this lint or fly will notbe worked into the goods, that is to say, the knitting yarn or cloth andthe latter will be devoid of imperfections as a perfect knittingoperation is assured in the working of the knitting machine when thesame is maintained clean and free from accumulation of this lint or fly.

The housing has fitted therewith lubricating devices 28 for thoroughlubrication of the movable parts of the device particularly the shaftsl2 and I9 and the gearing connections therebetween.

The nozzle 25 is mounted on the housing In through the medium of aseparable coupling 29 so that said nozzle can be detached when requiredand also access is had to the interior of the housing III for inspectionor cleaning of the wheel II therein. n

What is claimed is:

The herein described construction of cleaning attachments for theneedles of rotary knitting machines, comprising a fan housing having anozzle directed toward the needles of the knitting machine, a rotarysuction fan in the housing which is provided with a stub shaft thatcarries a pinion, a casing to which the housing is removably secured andin which the stub shaft is journaled, a bracket carrying bearingintegral with the casing and whose bracket is fixed to a stationary partof the knitting machine, a shaft journaled in the bearing and having apart to engage with a rotary part of the knitting machine for turningsaid shaft, a gear on said shaft in mesh with the pinion, and. aremovable closure plate for the casing. GEORGE W. ALLRED.

